Heavy rain in Putra Heights leave vehicles submerged in soil

HEAVY rain had washed down mud from Bukit Cermin, a cleared hill in Putra Heights, Subang Jaya, forcing the road to be partially closed on Wednesday night.Contractors were seen soon after, clearing the mud at the junction of Persiaran Putra Perdana and Persiaran Harmoni following the incident, allowing traffic to return to normal yesterday.However, the incident brought back fears of the Jan 3 landslide, which occurred about half a kilometre away from this junction.The landslide left five cars, a van and a motorcycle submerged in mud and soil. Fortunately, no one was injured.The hill had been cleared to pave way for development.

Putra Heights Section 10 Residents Association chairman Vincent Chen said the people were worried for their safety.

"This is our major access road and we use it every day. It is scary to drive along the road after the landslide occurred," he said.

He added that the residents were not informed of the outcome of the investigation into the landslide made by the Subang Jaya Municipal Council (MPSJ) and the developer.

"We do not want a major landslide to occur here," Chen said.

Sri Muda assemblyman Shuhaimi Shafiei said the incident on Wednesday was not a landslide.

"The downpour just washed down the mud from the hill onto the roads."

He said he had asked the councillor in-charge of the area, Jaberi Ami, to ask MPSJ to issue a stop-work order to the developer.He said something was amiss as the water from the hill should be channelled into drains instead of overflowing onto the roads.

"For the safety of Putra Heights residents, the MPSJ engineering and urban planning departments should have a meeting with the developer to discuss a strategy to resolve the problem," he said.

Jaberi said a special committee formed by the state government to look into slopes was studying the stability of Bukit Cermin.The committee, comprising Selangor Town Planning Department, Minerals and Geoscience Department, Public Works Department's slope branch, MPSJ engineering department and independent consultants, will issue a report after the study is completed.

"I understand the residents' concern but let us wait for the professionals' advice first," he said.